Apparatus For Shortening or Storing Elongate Flexible Materials

Abstract

A device for shortening or storing a length of an elongate and flexible material such as rope, string, wire, electrical cable or cable-like items includes a two-part housing. A first portion of the housing forms a window or passage for receiving a loop of the flexible material. A second or opposing portion includes a spindle arranged with a member extending therefrom for engaging the loop. The first and second portions engage each other along an inner surface of their respective perimeters to enclose a volume that surrounds the spindle. One of the first portion or the second portion is rotated with respect to the remaining portion to draw a desired length of the flexible material into a volume enclosed by the housing, thereby shortening, protecting and storing the enclosed length of material in a reversible, none-damaging manner.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device, comprising:
 a housing including a first portion and a second portion, the second portion opposed to the first portion, wherein at least one of the portions forms an opening through a wall of the housing;   a spindle attached to a remaining portion absent the opening; and   a member extending from the spindle and in registration with the opening, the member arranged to engage a loop formed in an elongate flexible material to be stored within a volume enclosed by the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the spindle is fixed along an axis extending proximally from a centroid of the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a compressible material is arranged along at least a portion of the surface of the spindle. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the member is engaged in a slot arranged along the surface of the spindle. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the member is fixed to the spindle with a fastener. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion and the second portion engage one another along respective inner surfaces. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein one of the first portion and the second portion includes a male member including an engaging portion that extends therefrom. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein a remaining portion includes a channel arranged to closely receive the engaging portion of the male member. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein when the remaining portion including the channel is forcibly brought together with the portion including the male member the remaining portion deflects to receive the engaging portion of the male member. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein both the male member and the remaining portion including the channel deflect when the portion including the male member and the remaining portion are forcibly brought together. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first portion or the second portion rotates with respect to the remaining portion. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein both the first portion and the second portion rotate with respect to the other portion. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first portion or the second portion is arranged with a surface arranged to engage an external mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the surface forms a concave region. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the surface forms a convex region that extends radially from the portion. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the spindle includes a recess at an opposed end for receiving a pin extending from the inner surface of a remaining portion of the housing. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein an exterior surface of the member extending from the spindle has an adequate radius to prevent damage to the elongate flexible material introduced in the volume and looped over the member. 
     
     
         18 . A device for storing and adjusting a length of an elongate and flexible material, the device comprising:
 a pair of contra-rotatable half-shells forming a generally enclosed volume between them;   one of the half-shells forming a passage through which a loop of the elongate and flexible material can be introduced into the volume, and   the remaining one of the half-shells fixably supporting a spindle with a member extending therefrom, the member positioned to engage the loop of the material introduced into the volume, wherein after the loop is engaged against the member, a desired length of the elongate and flexible material can be gathered within the enclosed volume by rotation of one of the half-shells about the remaining half-shell.